Hi all,

As the final Grand Tour has now aired, I have decided to undertake my very own ‘Top Gear Special’ with three friends from my college days. We will be taking on the India Rickshaw Run this December.

Imagine myself and a few mates squashed into two glorified lawnmowers 🛺 tackling over a thousand kilometres of old school adventure. (Chennai to Trivandrum over the course of 10 days.)

There’s no set route, no back-up and no way of knowing if we’re going to make it. The only certainty is that we will get lost, we will get stuck and we will break down. (And probably topple over!) 🙃

As part of this challenge and I am hoping to raise £1 for charity for every kilometre I survive.

Those of you that know me will appreciate I had a somewhat challenging upbringing and the two charities I have chosen, which are very close to my heart, helped lift me up, gave me opportunity and provided a wonderful education where the alternative was not so bright. I would like to help give back and pay it forward.

The charities help children from underprivileged backgrounds to receive quality pastoral support, profound individual growth and an exceptional education at a time when they need it most.

The Emmott Foundation supported me with a grant at 16 years old, shortly after I was fostered, to allow me to attend the top performing school in Eastbourne, my hometown.

The Blue Skies Bursary Appeal

Blue Skies aims for an endowment fund that is able to generate forty fully-funded bursaries (currently at 20) for young people who otherwise would not benefit from a top-tier education. This is pure philanthropy, often from the alumni community, to generously give to those who don’t have the means, something that I benefitted from and that changed the trajectory of my life forever, for which I am eternally grateful.

The video below powerfully summarises the goal of the project.

https://youtu.be/k6qj0MKaHTY

I promise to provide photographic updates on the adventures! The race starts on Boxing day and ends on 6th January 2025. Wish us luck 🤞🏻